Canadian beaver vs Somali Hedgehog

Castor canadensis compared with Atelerix sclateri

Key Differences

• Canadian beaver is Not Evaluated while Somali Hedgehog is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Canadian beaver	Somali Hedgehog
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Rodentia (Rodents)	Erinaceomorpha (Erinaceomorpha)
Family	Castoridae (Beavers)	Erinaceidae
Genus	Castor (Beavers)	Atelerix
Species	Castor canadensis	Atelerix sclateri

Evolutionary Relationship

Canadian beaver and Somali Hedgehog share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (Mammals)

Conservation Status

Canadian beaver

NE — Not Evaluated

Population: ~15.0M

Trend: Stable →

Somali Hedgehog

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Canadian beaver	Somali Hedgehog
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	15 years	—
Average Length	1.0 m	—
Average Weight	25.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Canadian beaver

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Widely distributed across Europe (15 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Argentina, Chile).

Somali Hedgehog

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Canadian beaver

The largest rodent in North America, Canadian beavers weigh up to 32 kg and are master ecosystem engineers inhabiting rivers, lakes, and wetlands across Canada and the northern United States. By felling trees and constructing dams up to hundreds of meters long, beavers create ponds that provide habitat for hundreds of species. Their lodges and canals transform entire watersheds. Once nearly hunted to extinction for their fur, beaver populations have recovered strongly.